Apparatus fob and method of cooling



2Dec..7, 1937.- w. w. R-EECE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF COOLING' BREAD Filed Mann 28, 1952' s vsnee1zs-s1wet 1` v7,` 1937. w. w. 'RE-ECE APPARATUS OR AND METHOD 0F COOLING BREAD Filed March '28, 1952 s sheetsheet 2 72 A67 l I 'w. w. REEcE 2,101,651 APPARATUS FOR AND METgoD or' cooLING'BREAD Filed March 28, 1932;" Sheets-Sheet 3;

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manana. 7, i931 PATENT .oFFicE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF COOLING BREAD u Wade W. Recce,Chicago, Ill., assigner to The f W; E. Long Company, `Chicago,lll.,v a corporation of Illinois 'Application March` 28,

21 Claims.

This Vinvention relates 4to mechanism for, and method of,` cooling bakery products.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for controlling the ow of air through a cooling tunnel or passage. i

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of new and improved means for conditioning the air and for controlling its flow across the hot 10 bakery products during the cooling operation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of new and improved mechanism for i cooling bakery products that is inexpensive `to install, eiiicient in use, and which has means for controlling the volume of air flowing `through Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1';4

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modified form of construction;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a'section on the line 5-5 .of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

In thecooling of bread, or lother bakery products, in long tunnels or long passages with articial currentsofair, moving in a direction contra to the direction of `movement of said products or in a direction transversely thereto, it has been found that in order to prevent checking of the `crusts and to reduce the loss of weight to a minimum. it is desirable that the air be properly 4conditioned and that the velocity thereof be reduced 40 toward theqend ofthe passage where the bread 50 or any well-known construction comprising the side members II,- floor or bottom member I 2, top

member I3 and the end members I4 and I5. The end members Il and I5 are leach provided with a pair of swinging doors I6 and Il, as shown in 55 dotted lines in Fig. 1. Suitable means are provid- ,1932, Serial N0. 601,568

ed for conducting the bakery products through the cooling passage I0.,

In the form of construction shown, which is by way of example only, a pairof overhead tracks I8 and iii extend through vthe .tunnel and are 5 adapted to support a plurality of carriers 2 I, each of which is supportedby suitable rollers 22 and 23 from said tracks. These carriers are of the usual or any well-known construction and each is provided with racks for holding the bakery prodl0 ucts. Sincethe details of these carriers consti-rl tute no part of the presenlt invention, it is not thought necessary to describe or further illus-f trate the same.

- Suitable meansl are provided for circulating l5 conditioned air through the cooling tunnel in a Y direction contra to the movement of the` bread through the tunnel.

As shown in Fig. 2, the carriers 2i move to the right in said figure, and the air is caused to flow 2g in the opposite direction by the mechanism, which will now be described. Y i

The mechanism for circulating the air through the cooling tunnel comprises a blower or fan 25 having an intake passage 26 which is enlarged,` 25 asn at 21, for containing the air conditioningr mechanism, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This mechanism comprises a filter member 29, an air cooling or heating device 28, and a humidifier 3i,

all of which may be of the usual commercial types 30 and are adapted to maintain the airat a constant temperature and moisturecontent I1 desired, the air may be led through an air sterilizing element`32 of the usual or any Well-known construction. lThe air is admittedto the enlarged `por` 35 tion 21 of the intake through the conduit '33 extending to the lexterior of the building in which the cooling tunnel is located. y 'Ihe air passes through the discharge conduit 34 from the fan into the outer end of the tunnel I2 through the 40 nozzle 3l), which is substantially the width of the tunnel, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Suitable mechanism is provided for checking the velocity of the flow of air, as it reaches the inner end of the cooling tunnel. Any suitable mechanism maybe employed for this purpose. In the form'of con-V struction shown, means are provided. at a plug rality of points along the cooling tunnel or chamber through which the air may escape, thereby reducing the` velocity of the air Athat remains within the tunnel. v

As shown, a conduit 35 is provided above the tunnel and extends longitudinally thereof. The inner end of the conduit 35 is extended to substantially thefull width of the tunnel, as at 36,

and extends into the inner `end of the tunnel, as at 31. The outer end of the conduit 35 terminates within the tunnel, as iat 38, at a point inwardly of the outer end thereof. The intermediate portion of the conduit 35 has a branch conduit 39 extending downwardly within the tunnel' to a point' 4| adjacent to the oor of the tunnel. The branch conduit 39 is located between the ends of the conduit 35 and both conduits 38 and 38 are in the vertical plane passing through ythe center line of the cooling tunnel or chamber. The conduit 35 is provided with an upwardly extending pipe or conduit 42 for taking the air from the conduit 35 to the atmosphere.

In the operation of the device thus far described, air entering the conduit 33 will pass through the air conditioning mechanism into the blower 25 which will discharge the same into the outer end of the coolingtunnel and cause the same to flow toward the left in Fig. 2. As the air flows along the tunnel toward the inner end4 thereof, portions of .it will ilow into the `conduit 38, thereby checking the velocity of the ilow of air between the conduit 38 and the branch conduit 39. Still more air will be conducted from the tunnel by the branch conduit 39, thereby stili further checking the velocity of the air that flows along the tunnel between the branch 39 and the end 31 of the conduit 35.

It will thus be seen that by the time the air has reached the inner end of the tunnel, a sufficient amount of thesame has been withdrawn to materially reduce the velocity of that portion which remains within the tunnel..

In this form of construction, the heated bread, or other bakery products, when they rst enter the cooling tunnel will come in contact with the air that has been heated by the bakery products in the preceding carriers and will be partially cooled by the air in this zone which moves at a. very low velocity. Since the velocity of the air is low in the zone where the products enter the tunnel, and the diierence in temperaturebetween the air `and bread at this point is not so very great, there is little or no tendency of the crust of the bread to check or crack. Furthermore,

`since the air is conditioned, there will not be much loss in Weight due to the evaporation of the partially cooled moves further along the tunnel, it will move into the next cooling zone and come in contact-with cooler air moving at a slightly greater velocity, which will still lfurther cool the bread. Since the crust was more or less cooled in the rst zone, there is not so much danger of its cracking, and, consequently, the air may be caused to iiow at a greater velocity in this second zone. Inother words, the cooling operation m'ay be hastened in the second zone. 4

From the second zone, the bread passes into the third zone where the maximum velocity of -v the air is encountered and where the cooling optheloss of aroma during the cooling eration is considerably hastened over either of the other zones. If desired, the manually controlled damprs or valves 43, 44 and 45 may be provided for controlling the iiow of air through either of the outlets at 31, 4I and 38. l

Under certain' conditions, it may be desirable to recirculate the air through the cooling tunnel.

Breadand other baked products cooled by recircuiated air are of higher quality, inasmuch as when the same are cooled in their own aroma, operation is reduced to a minimum.

In the cooling operation, in order to; secure a uniformity of product, it is necessary tliat the air be introduced at a uniform temperature and contain a uniform amount of moisture. Suitable means are provided for automatically controlling the recirculation of all or a portion of the air with a view to maintaining 'a uniform temperature and moisture content of the 'same as it enters the cooling chamber.

In the Iormof construction shown, an auxiliary conduit 46 is provided for conducting air from the conduit 35 to the enlargement 21 of the intake 25, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1. This conduit 48 is provided with louvres 41 for opening and closing the conduit. The intake pipe 33 is likewise provided with louvres 48 for` controlling the flow of air through the same.

The louvres 41 and 48 are adapted to be autoonly. The form shown comprises an expansible member which is adapted to contain an expansible fluid. The louvres 41 are operated from the thermostat 49 by a link 5l, a bell crank 52 and a link 53. The louvres 48 are in turn operated from the link 53 through a bell crank 54 and a link 55.

When the air discharged from the blower 25 is above a predetermined temperature, the thermostat 49 expands,-thereby closing the louvres 41 and simultaneously opening the louvres 48, thus admitting cool air through the pipe 33. When the air discharged onto the thermostat 49 is below a predetermined temperature, the louvres 41 are opened and the louvres 48 closed, and air is drawn from the tunnel through the conduit 35 and the auxiliary conduit 45.

If desired, a blower or exhaust fan 11 operated by an electric motor 18 is employed. The speed of the motor is adapted to be controlled by a rheostat 19, the movable arm 8i of which is adapted to be controlled by themovement of the link 55. The parts are so arranged that the speed of the motor will be at its maximum when the louvres 48 are in completely open position, as shown in Fig. 2.

By extending the conduit 39 downwardly to a point adjacent to the iioor of the tunnel, air will be taken from the lowerl portion of the tunnel through this conduit. By means of this arrangement, the 'air will be caused to flow along the lower portion of the tunnel substantially uniformly with that at the top thereof. In other words, the exhaust 4I located at the oor of the The velocity of the air may be varied in theY diilerentzones by adjusting the dampers 43, 44 and/or 45 to vary the amount of air removed in those zones.

mmamsummamamedmmor the device. In this form of construction. a cooling` tunnelor chamber is employed and this tunnel may be considered as roughly divided ln a plurality of zones. Suitable mechanism is pro.- vided'i'or supplying air to all of the zones at a constant temperature, the air moving at different velocities in the different zones.`

In the rst zone, or the zone wherein the hot.

each of which vis provided with a plurality of racks 6I, asis usual in such constructions. In this form of the device, a suitable blower 92 is employed for supplying air to the cooling tunnel. Mounted in the intake 63 of this blower is the air conditioning device 64 whichcomprises an air iilter 290, an air heating or cooling device 260. a humidifier all), and, if desired, a sterilizer 326. asin the previous construction4 The intake 63 has an upwardly extending pipe, as at 65, which may extend to the exterior cf the building for supplying air as needed for the cool-A ing mechanism. The discharge conduit 66 of the blower t2 is'extended into the central portion of j the tunnel and is in communication with a con- Aconduits Bitland 82 (see Figs. 3 and 4').

duit 61 extendinglongitudinally of the tunnel and located on the floor along the center thereof. The conduit 6l extends substantially the entire length of the tunnel and, is of enlarged cross section at its outer end, the inner end of the tunnel being considerably restricted, as shown at 66 in Fig. 5. The conduit 61 is provided with a plurality oi" openings or ports 69, ll i l2, 'i3 and it on each side throughout the length thereof.

These ports are provided with suitable valves or gates 15, i6, 110,166 and 169 which are adapted to be held in adjusted position by any` proper means, As shown, these valves are slidable and are adapted to be held inadjusted position by friction of the parts. Extending along the top off` the tunnel at each side thereof are the exhaust rl'hese conduits `are preferably located directly above the tracks 51 and 99, respectively.

, An exhaust conduit t6 is. provided above the central portion of the tunnel. This conduit is bifurcated at its lower end `and its furcations d4: and 35 are in communication with the central portions of the conduits titl and t2, respectively, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4.

The furcations 8d and 185 straddle the conduit 66, see Fig. 4. Each of the conduits 816 and 82 is provided with a plurality of intake extensions t `for controlling the amount of air exhausted through said extensions. These branches or ln `take extensions` are adaptedto exhaust the air from the corresponding zonesin the tunnel and may be said, roughly, to divide the said tunnel into different zones.

n the operation'of the device, air is .drawn through the pipe 65 and discharged through the conduit 6 6 into the distributor conduit 61, thence respectively, and is exhausted through the branches, 81, 88 and ,89. The ports 69 are comparatively small and thev damper 92 in the branch 96 may be so adjusted that there will be but a small amount of air admitted and exhaust from the first zone at the inner end of the tunnel. In otherwords, the air in the rst zone will be moving very slowly through the first zone. In the other zones, the air will be moving more rapidly untilv in the last zone, the port 14 will be very large and the damper in ythe branch 89 may be completely open so that the air will be passed at `a maximum velocity across this section of the tunnel.

If desired, an exhaust lan 93 operated by an electric motor 94 may be employed for assisting in the exhaust of 'air through said conduits.

Suitable means maybe provided for causing part or all of the air passing through the tunnel to be-recirculated. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for accomplishing this function. For the purpose of illustration, the following mechanism may be employed.

A branch or shunt conduit 95 is connected to the exhaust conduit 63 and the intake conduit "65 whereby air may flow from the conduit 63 into the conduit 65. Within the conduit G5 anterior to the branch or shunt conduit 95 are a plurality of louvres v96 and Within the conduit 95 are a plurality of louvres 91. Thermostatic means 98 are employed for controlling the operation of the louvres 96 and 91. In the form of construction shown, the thermostat 98 `is of the expansible type and the louvres 91 are adapted to be closed by a link 99 which is operated by the thermostat passing up through the ports 69, 1.i,12,`13 and 14,

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96. The louvres 96 are simultaneously opened by a bell crank |09 and link itil which are operated by 'the extension f the link 99. Suitable `means are provided for controlling the speed `of the motor 9d. As shown, a rheostat i62 may beemployed for this purpose. The rheostat may be controlled by an extension of the link lili which operates the contact member 863.

The thermostat 96 may be located in any convenient part of the cooling tunnel.l For the purpose of illustration,l lt is, shown as being located in thel last zone; or-outer end of the tunnelfand when the air surroundingthe thermostat rises above a predetermined temperature, the thermo' stat willexpand as shownin Fig. 5, thus closing the louvres 91 for preventing recirculation of the air through the shunt 95 and simultaneously opening the louvres 96 for permitting air to enter through the intake 65. The movement of thelink tdi for opening the louvres 96 will move the contact arm idd of the rheostat 992 into electrical vice, the controls and the like are not disclosed since commercial forms of these devices are employed. In the air conditioning device, for instance, the heater or cooler may be coils of Usually the air entering the intake of the blowerswill be cooled but under certain conditions it may be desirable to heat the same.

but its weight and moisture content is maintained constant. l

It is thought fromthe foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art and that changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construction may be made without departing! 'from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, therefore, is:

1. A method of cooling bakeryproducts which comprises moving the same along a cooling tunnel and simultaneously causing a stream of air to flow in `the tunnel contra to the direction of the movement of the bakery products and with decreasing jvelocity as it flows through said tunnel.

2. Inan apparatus for cooling bakery products, a'cooling passage, means for conveying said products through saidpassage in one direction, means for conditioning air Vas to temperature and moisture and for causing the same to flow through said passage in a direction contra to thev movenient of vsaid products therethrough and means `including exhaust ports for reducing the volume of air during'its `travelthrough said passage.

3. In; a coolingr apparatusfor bread and other v products, a cooling tunnel, means for conducting' said products through saidtunnel, means for causing a stream of air to flow through-said tun- 'nel' in a directioncontra. to the direction of movement of said products, and means at a plurality of zones along said tunnel for progressively reducing the volume o f said stream o1'` air as it passes through said zones.

4. In a cooling device for bakery products. a cooling tunnel, means for conducting bakery products through said tunnel for cooling the same, means for causing a stream of air to flow through said tunnel in a direction contra to the movement of said products therethrough and means at a plurality of points along'said tunnel for removing a portion of said air as it passes said points.

5. A method of cooling bakery products which consists in placing the products in a cooling tunnel, subjecting said products while at their highesttemperature to a current of air at low velocity and immediately afterward treating the same with currents of air at progressively higher velocities. 6. A method of cooling bread which consists in subjecting the same immediately after it comes from the oven and while in its highly heated condition to a current of air conditioned as to temperature and moisture and at low velocity for initially cooling the bread without checking or cra-cking the crust and immediately thereafter subjecting the partially cooled bread to a current of air conditioned as to temperature and Mmoisture at a higher velocity for further cooling vsaidliiea'di n 7. A method of cooling bakery products which consists in causing a current of air at a predetermined temperature and moisture content to ow across said products at low velocity while the products are at their highest temperature after remoyal from the oven, then causing air Y 8. A method of cooling bread and other bakery y products which consists in moving the products along a tunnel and simultaneously subjecting the saineV to a flow of. sterilized air of decreasing velocity toward the outer end of the tunnel.

9.,A method of cooling bread Iwhich consists in lconducting bakery products along a conduit, conducting along said conduit a counter iiow of air at a velocity that decreases ata plurality of vvzones asit flows along said conduit and at a predetermined temperature and having a predetermined moisture content.

10. In cooling apparatus for fbakeryproducts,

" a cooling tunnelz means for conducting bakery products through said tunnel for cooling the same, means for causing acurrent of air of low -velocity to ow across a section of said 4tunnel adjacent the entrance end thereof, and means for causing a', stream lof air of higher velocity'to flow across a section of the tunnel adjacent the delivery end thereof. i

11. In cooling apparatus forl bakery products,

a cooling tunnel, means for conducting bakery products through -said tunnel for cooling the same, means for causing a current of air of low velocity to flow across a section of said tunnel adjacent the entrance end thereof, and means'for causing a stream of air of higher velocity to ilow across'a section of the tunnel adjacent the del livery end thereof, and means for conditioning products at its inner end and discharge the same at its outer end, means for introducing air conditioned as to temperatureand moisture into the outer end of said passage, and means for materially reducing the volume of the air flowing through the inner end of said passage.

14. In an apparatus for cooling bakery products, a cooling passage, means for conveying bread through said passage from the inner to the outer end thereof, means for conditioning air as to temperature and moisture and causing the same to flow through said passage contra to the direction of movement. of said products, and means for reducing the volume of the air flowing into the inner end of said passage.

' 15. In a cooling apparatus for bakery pip/ducts, a cooling tunnel, means -for conductingbakery products through said tunnel from'the inner to the outer end thereof, means for conditioning air as to temperature and-moisture and for sup- -Plying said air to said tunnel for cooling said products, and meansifor causing'said air to flow at various speeds insaid tunnel,y the volume of said air being at a, minimum in the inner end velocity than that subjected.

Aportion, of said tunnel and at a maximum in the outer end thereof., 4

16. A method of cooling bread which consists v,in moving the bread through streams of cooling j l of air of greater volume to iiow in a section Vof the tunnel adjacent the delivery end. thereof, and means for recirculating a portion orali Vof said air through said-tunnel.V

18. A method ofcooling bakery products which comprises causing air tn low over said products at comparatively low velocity while the products are at high temperature from the baking operation and then causing air at higher velocity to flow over said products vfor` continuing the cooling operation. A

`19. In an apparatus for cooling bakery products comprising a cooling passage, means for conducting bakery products through said passage. an air conduit having a plurality of ports adjacent to the floor of said passage spaced lengthwise of said Ipassage through which conditioned air may be discharged into said passage justable valve members for said ports, means within said conduit for conditioning air passing therethrough. as to temperature and moisture, a

blower in said conduit for causing the air to ow therethrough, kan air discharge conduit having a plurality of ports opening into said passage atintervals lengthwise thereof, valves in said ports for controlling the amount of air discharged therethrough, a shunt passage Afor connecting said conduits, and thermally controlled means for causing a portion or all of the air passing into said discharge A.conduit to be recirculated through said passage. .l

20. In a cooling apparatus for bakery products, a cooling tunnel, means for conducting bakery products through said tunnel from the inner to the outer end thereof, means for condi; f

tioning air as to temperature and moisture and for supplying said air to said tunnel for cooling said products, means for causing said air toow at various speeds in said tunnel, the volume of Said-air beingy at a. minimum'in the inner end portion of said tunnel and at a maximum in the outer end thereof, and means for recirculating a portion of said air through said lastfnamed the bread is initially subjected movingat `a lower velocity than that to which the bread is finallyV subjected, and' simultaneously causing portions of' said air to be recirculated over said bread 4 during the cooling operation.

f WADE W. REECE. 

